Английский детектив. Джон Бакен. Тридцать девять ступеней / John Buchan. The Thirty-Nine Steps - стр. 28

) who had had a long spell in India (который прослужил долгий срок в Индии; spell – промежуток времени, срок, период). He had a monocle, too, which he stuck in his eye (у него был, к тому же, монокль, который он вставил в глаз; to stick – втыкать; вставлять), and every trace of the American had gone out of his speech (и все следы американского акцента: «американца» исчезли из его речи).

 ‘Sure,’ he said, jumping up with some briskness. ‘I haven’t the privilege of your name, Sir, but let me tell you that you’re a white man. I’ll thank you to lend me a razor.’

I took him into my bedroom and turned him loose. In half an hour’s time a figure came out that I scarcely recognized. Only his gimlety, hungry eyes were the same. He was shaved clean, his hair was parted in the middle, and he had cut his eyebrows. Further, he carried himself as if he had been drilled, and was the very model, even to the brown complexion, of some British officer who had had a long spell in India. He had a monocle, too, which he stuck in his eye, and every trace of the American had gone out of his speech.

‘My hat (вот это да; hat – шляпа; my hat! – вот это да! надо же! не может быть!)! Mr Scudder – ’ I stammered (произнес я, запинаясь).

‘Not Mr Scudder (не мистер Скаддер),’ he corrected (поправил он); ‘Captain Theophilus Digby, of the 40th Gurkhas, presently home on leave (капитан Теофилус Дигби, из 40-го полка гурхских стрелков, в настоящее время дома в отпуске; leave – разрешение, позволение; отпуск). I’ll thank you to remember that, Sir (я буду благодарен вам, если вы запомните это, сэр).’

I made him up a bed in my smoking-room (я постелил ему постель в курительной комнате) and sought my own couch, more cheerful than I had been for the past month (и лег спать на свой собственный диван более бодрым, чем я был за /весь/ последний месяц; to seek – искать, разыскивать; to seek one’s bed – ложиться спать). Things did happen occasionally, even in this God-forgotten metropolis (что-то иногда случалось даже в этом Богом забытом Лондоне; occasionally – иногда, изредка, время от времени; occasion – происшествие; metropolis – столица; Лондон).

‘Not Mr Scudder,’ he corrected; ‘Captain Theophilus Digby, of the 40th Gurkhas, presently home on leave. I’ll thank you to remember that, Sir.’

I made him up a bed in my smoking-room and sought my own couch, more cheerful than I had been for the past month. Things did happen occasionally, even in this God-forgotten metropolis.